


Spoken and Unspoken

by amandasarmada



Series: What Else? [8]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, PWP, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Post-Series, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-14
Updated: 2014-11-14
Packaged: 2018-02-25 08:19:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2614871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amandasarmada/pseuds/amandasarmada
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>C.J. and Danny spend Valentine's Day together - well, sort of.  Last chapter is E.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS CHEESY AS FUCK, AND I REGRET NOTHING. :D 
> 
> Seriously though, this fic is definitely really fluffy, but I feel like it's justified by two things – One, C.J.'s actions in “Institutional Memory” would be a huge springboard for her becoming more affectionate and serious in their relationship, and I think she'd feel like she had to do something big to show Danny that she really did care. I also think the lack of stress after the Inauguration would allow her to reach out more, because I think at the end of the day C.J. is a very emotional (in a good way) as well as emotionally-mature person. Two, although the lovey-dovey stuff might seem a little much, I feel like it's more or less accurate at the beginning of a relationship. They're in the “honeymoon” stage. Bawww.

**February 8, 2007**

CJ was curled up on the couch, her nose buried in an old, battered copy of _Jane Eyre_ and her long legs bent gracefully beneath her.

She was vaguely aware of a shuffling of feet behind her, but barely registered Danny's presence until he stood tentatively at the other end of the sofa. She curled her legs tighter instinctively, giving him room to join her in her own form of silent welcome, then unfurled them slightly again as he sat, resting them on his lap.

Danny's sigh was quiet, and he absently started rubbing one of her calves before giving her a weary smile. “Heyyy,” he said softly.

“Hey,” she said lightly. She glanced up from her book, shooting him a smile. “Everything okay?”

“Kind of. You got a second?”

“Of course.” She eyed him with some concern, slipping a bookmark into her paperback.

Danny hesitated, unsure how to broach the subject. “Well, I just got off the phone with my old editor from the Post,” he said tentatively.

CJ tipped her head slightly to the side, absorbing this, and she kept her eyes on him as she set the book down next to her on the couch. “...What's up?”

He tapped his fingers on her leg like a pianist, sighing again. “Katie Witt had her baby this morning. About six weeks earlier than expected,” he said ruefully.

CJ's brow furrowed in concern, and she sat up slightly, her legs returning to the ground. “Is everything -?”

“Yeah, yeah, they're fine,” he said quickly, shooting her a reassuring smile. “...It's just-” Danny sighed, rubbing his face. “She's on maternity leave, and Roger Steele's still in Kyrgyzstan, which kind of leaves them in a jam. Anita was wondering if there was any way I could come _back_ , cover the labor piece freelance.

“Oh...” She squinted at him in confusion, feeling like she must have missed something. “Well, that's great, do you want to do it?”

“Iiiii...” Danny paused, waving his head back and forth indecisively. She raised an eyebrow, and he exhaled, leaning back against the couch. “Sorta,” he admitted, cringing.

“...What's the matter?” CJ asked, laughing slightly at Danny's hesitation.

“It's just – I'd have to leave Monday morning, get back late Wednesday night.”

“Okay?”

“...Well, that's kind of a bummer for me and you,” he said pointedly.

CJ continued to smile uncertainly, laughing awkwardly. “I...” She fumbled her words, still chuckling in bemusement. “Danny, you know I adore you, but I think we could handle three whole days away from each other.”

He bit his lip, watching her. “That's _this_ Wednesday night.”

She stared at him, utterly baffled now. “So?”

“Sooo...” he hesitated, suddenly unsure himself. “Well, that's Valentine's Day.”

CJ continued to stare blankly at him, then blinked, realizing he was waiting for a reaction.

“...Oh. Well - uh-”

“I just thought it might be nice to spend the day together,” Danny said lightly, saving her from having to come up with something. “Do something cheesy and romantic. It could be fun.”

Her brow furrowed, her words coming out slowly. “Well, if you don't want to go, it's no big deal...It's not like we need the money, or anything. I know this was your story from the beginning, though, and I know you're still pretty caught up in what's going on, so I wouldn't exactly blame you if you _wanted_ to-” she paused. “I mean - it's completely up to _you,_ hon. We could always just celebrate early, before you leave. Or put it off until the weekend or something.”

“You don't mind?”

“Did you think I would?”

He shrugged slightly, studying her. “...I wanted you to know it was okay if you did.”

She smiled, her cheeks flushing. “That was sweet of you,” she murmured, gently pulling him toward her by the collar.

Her kiss was tender, and Danny beamed dazedly as he pulled away.

“So - you're okay with it?” he confirmed, still sounding a little out of breath.

“Yeah, of course. Have fun. Bring me back a present,” she joked softly, touching his face. Danny grinned at her.

“Alright.” He looked thoughtful, tipping his head. “Well, in that case, I think there's some errands I ought to run. You mind if I hit up the mall before they close?”

“Go for it,” she said lightly, offering him a small smile.

“You want me to pick you up anything?”

She shrugged, stroking the edge of her book pensively. She glanced up at him, her gaze slightly unfocused. “I guess I could go for a Hershey bar...”

“Sure,” he nodded.

“You better get going, it's already eight,” she pointed out.

He kissed her forehead, looking at her seriously. “You _sure_ you don't mind if I go?”

“As long as you bring me back a Hershey bar,” she joked, and he smiled.

“You know what I mean.”

“Am I a bad person if I don't really need to think about it?” she asked tentatively.

“Nah.” Danny smiled, planting a chaste kiss on her. “Ah'kay. I should get going, then.” He stood, flashing her a final smile as he picked up his coat from the back of a dining room chair. “See you in a couple hours,” he added.

“Drive safe,” she called, as he disappeared into the kitchen.

“Call if you need anything,” he called back, and she heard the sound of his keys being picked up out of the bowl by the door.

She waited a few minutes after the sound of his steps had disappeared down the hall before she darted off of the couch, barreling into the bedroom as she dug through her pockets for her cellphone.

* * *

Unable to sit still without her legs jumping, CJ paced back and forth across the room, clutching the phone to her ear and tapping her foot as she waited for it to pick up again. After what seemed like an eternity, although in reality was probably less than thirty seconds, the phone gave a click, signally that she'd finally been taken off hold.

“CJ? Lou said it was an emergency?!”

“I need your help.”

Donna's voice radiated with concern, her pitch rising an octave as she let loose a spiel of questions. “Of _course_ , CJ, _anything_ you need. What's going on? Is everything okay?”

“ _No_ ,” CJ said helplessly, kicking the bed. She yelped, a string of swearwords escaping from her clenched teeth as she collapsed back down on the comforter and clutched her stinging toe, her eyes watering in pain.

“Do you need me to come out there?” Donna asked anxiously, her words running together. “Is it your dad? Are you-”

“It's Valentine's Day,” CJ muttered, closing her eyes.

“What?” Donna asked, confused, pressing the phone closer to her ear.

“VALENTINE'S DAY,” CJ snapped, and Donna almost dropped the phone, startled. “Danny wants to celebrate _Valentine's Day_!”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line.

“And this is - a problem?” Donna asked uncertainly, her voice full of trepidation.

CJ leaned backward on the bed, muffling her groan with a pillow. “WOW. _Thank you_ for that,” she said sarcastically. “In case I didn't already feel like the _Spawn_ of _Lilith-”_

“Oh, CJ...you're just nervous.”

“Yes,” she agreed, digging her nails into her forehead. “'Nervous' is a fair description of how I'm feeling.”

“Listen, I'm sure he's not expecting some grand gesture. Just be nice, go to dinner, maybe cook him breakfast or something...”

“...I can't do this,” she moaned anxiously, her shoulders shaking. “I can't _do_ it, Donna! I'm not _wired_ for it.”

“You're wired just fine,” Donna said soothingly.

“He's gonna hate me.”

“I think you're overthinking this,” Donna assured her. “It's gonna be fine, I _promise_.”

CJ buried her head in her hands. “You know, I've always hated that phrase.”

“...What phrase?” Donna asked, confused.

“'Overthinking' things,” CJ repeated. “What does that even _mean_?” she asked, her voice rising shrilly. “It's just some _stupid_ thing people say whenever they don't want to be _bothered,_ **WORRYING** about things that _ought_ to be worried about!”

“O-kay...” Donna exhaled slowly. “You're... _'blowing this out of proportion'_ ,” she amended.

“I'm really not. This is a test.”

“A - test?” Donna repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” CJ said firmly.

“You sound like a crazy person,” Donna informed her.

“It is a _test_ ,” CJ said matter-of-factly, choosing to ignore her. “One I am destined to fail. He'll be _nice_ about it, and he'll _say_ it's _not_ a test, but that's exactly what it is, and I'm going to fail it, and then his eyes will get all _sad_ and I'll feel terrible and he'll secretly start to hate me and eventually he'll get tired of it and leave and I'll end up alone and sixty-five and taking care of twelve cats.”

Donna was quiet for a moment, trying to decide how to respond to this. “You don't think maybe he's just excited about getting to celebrate how you feel about each other?” she asked gently, opting for straight reason. “And he doesn't care if you're a little clumsy about how you express it, as long as you try?”

CJ sighed. “Oh, Donna. Donna Donna Donna. Donnatella Marie Moss. You precious, beautiful angel. I've always admired your naivete.”

“I think I'm right about this,” Donna said calmly. “And my middle name is Christine.”

CJ was quiet a minute, considering her options. After a moment, she actually managed a smile. “You know what?” she said thoughtfully. “You probably are. That's why I called you in the first place, Donna,” she said firmly, eager to heap on the praise. “That's why I need your help getting the ball rolling. I _knew_ you were good at this sort of stuff.”

“What sort of stuff?” Donna asked suspiciously.

“The touchy-feeling romantic stuff.”

“What on earth would give you that impression? I've had more than my share of the twelve-cats nightmare.”

“Donna, you are not going to end up alone with twelve cats,” CJ said impatiently.

“Ex- _cuse_ me!” Donna argued. “Do you see me living in a 5-bedroom marvel of Spanish architecture with a doting husband and three well-behaved kids?” she demanded.

“You've got a lot better chance of it than I do.”

“That's not true and you know it. Now stop freaking out. This is easy.”

“Well, hey, why should I trust _you_?” CJ shot back, trying not to grin. “You're 35, working 200 hours a week with no children and no husband. What do you know about this stuff?”

Donna rolled her eyes, smiling in annoyance. “Do you want my help or not?”

“Yes, please.” CJ rolled onto her stomach, burying her face in the pillow.

“Do something romantic.”

“Idnohatodonythingrumanic.”

“...I beg your pardon?” Donna asked politely, frowning slightly.

CJ pulled her face away from the pillow. “I-don't-know- _how_ -to-do-anything-romantic,” she repeated, her expression steadfast.

Donna sighed, slightly exasperated, but smiled ruefully. “You are in a relationship with a man you're crazy about,” she pointed out. “You will think of something.”

“I will think of _nothing_ , actually, because that part of my brain has already been _coopted_ in preparation for the naming of twelve _cats_ ,” CJ said matter-of-factly, a deep sigh running through her.

Donna grinned, shaking her head. “I'll tell you what. I'll think it over, come up with a list of suggestions, give you a call back tomorrow morning. Sound good?”

“ _YES_!” CJ exclaimed gratefully, alarmed to feel something wet prickling in her eye. “Donna, you are my hero, my savior – a national treasure. And if you ever get any vacation days in the next miserable eight years of your life, there's a free room and a bikini with your name on it, any time you want to drop by.”

“I thought the condo didn't have a real guestroom? Just that little den area Sam turned into a study.”

“I will give you my room,” CJ said adamantly. “I will sleep on the couch. Make Danny sleep on the balcony.”

“Come to think of it, maybe it's a very good idea that I'm helping you out with this 'romance' stuff,” Donna said dryly.

“Exactly what I'm saying,” CJ agreed, sighing ruefully.

“I'll give you a call around 10 AM, okay? Or seven, I guess, for you.”

“ _National treasure_ ,” CJ repeated emphatically, a wave of relief flooding through her.

“It's gonna be okay, CJ. We're gonna knock his socks off, I promise.” Donna's voice had softened a bit.

CJ smiled. “Thank you,” she said seriously.

* * *

The first hints of sunlight had started edging their way into the bedroom, and CJ lay awake, watching the clock on the nightstand flip from six fifty-four to six fifty-five. Almost time.

She winced as the phone resting atop the clock radio started to tremor, silently but insistently buzzing as she snatched it up.

“Shh, just a second,” she murmured into it, barely daring to breathe. She slipped stealthily out of the bed, careful not to tug on the blanket as she stood.

She tiptoed toward the bathroom door, grabbing her robe from the door, then slid on the slippers she'd set out the night before. She'd just finished crossing the room, her hand on the edge of the sliding glass door, when a voice broke suddenly through the silence, making her jump.

“Where you goin'?” Danny asked sleepily, frowning as he struggled to sit up.

She turned around, trying to look casual as she pulled her phone away, showing it to him as she covered the mouthpiece with her hand. She smiled apologetically, shrugging. “Sorry, I was trying not to wake you up,” she explained, her voice quiet. “Josh needs to talk to me about national security.”

“Oh...” Danny blinked, laying his head back down. “Well, don't let him get us all blown up.”

“That's the plan,” she agreed, then slipped out of the bedroom and onto the balcony.

She peered through the sliding glass door, a disheveled blind providing an ideal spying position. There wasn't much to witness, though, to her immense relief. Danny's back was to her, almost hidden under the blankets. She'd tested this spot the night before; after she'd hung up with Donna, she'd moved a battery-powered radio onto the balcony and closed the door from inside, trying to figure out if she'd be safe maintaining a private conversation out here. She might now qualify as being clinically insane, but could at least be reasonably sure she wouldn't be overheard.

“Okay, talk fast, it's actually freezing out here,” CJ grumbled into the phone, shivering in her bathrobe.

“Alright. Now, I want you to know I worked hard on this, so I'd appreciate you keeping your snippy comments to a minimum,” Donna warned.

“Absolutely,” she agreed, nodding. “Nothing but love here, Donna.”

“I have several suggestions to offer you.”

“Shoot,” CJ said encouragingly.

“Okay. Now, I'm gonna start by listing them all off together, so please hold all commentary, positive or negative, until I've finished. Then we can go back and discuss the merits and disadvantages of the ones that stuck with you, and I don't have to worry about you saying 'no' to ten in a row.”

“You have ten ideas?” CJ asked, her hopes skyrocketing.

“It's a figure of speech. But, yes, I was very thorough,” Donna said proudly. “You ready?”

“Hit me.”

“Bring him breakfast in bed. Give him a massage. Write him a poem. Make a mixed CD-”

“Write him a _poem_?!” CJ asked incredulously, interrupting her.

“ _CJ!_ ” she complained.

“- I can't - _'write him a poem'_!” CJ exclaimed, her blood pressure rising again as she glanced frantically over her shoulder.

“So, don't. Pick something else,” Donna said calmly. “It was just an idea.”

CJ hesitated, turning back around as she started tapping her foot. “...I should get him something, shouldn't I.”

Donna frowned.

“Didn't you give him anything for Christmas?” she asked suspiciously.

“Of course I did.”

There was a pause. “...Well?”

“Well, what?”

“ _Well_ , what did you give him then?”

“A sweater.”

Donna paused, biting her lip. “Well, that was...Practical.”

CJ groaned, leaning her head back against the glass.

“You still there?” Donna asked, frowning.

“No, I've died. I've died, and I'm now burning in hell. As the Liliths and Delilahs and Jezebels and Claudia Jeans of the world are wont to do.”

Donna ignored this. “I do think you should do something more personal this time around,” she said patiently.

CJ was quiet for a minute, half-heartedly glancing back through the blinds for inspiration. “What about lingerie? That's personal.”

“That's not exactly what I meant.”

“ _So what am I supposed to do, give him a TEDDY BEAR?_ ” she barked. She thought she saw Danny's figure stir, and cringed.

“That or a poem,” Donna said mischievously. She grinned to herself, imagining CJ's face, then sighed, trying again.

“What about a framed picture of the two of you?” she asked reasonably.

CJ grew quiet again, apparently pondering this possibility.

“I could _do_ that...” she said thoughtfully, sounding pleasant surprised.

“Not a lingerie photo,” Donna said firmly.

“I wasn't thinking of a lingerie photo!” she whispered indignantly.

“Well, I just wanted to be sure.”

CJ exhaled, her nostrils flaring as she hissed into the phone. “Donna, I am gonna give him the corniest, _sappiest_ damn photo he's ever seen, and I am going to make him dinner and and light candles and play bad music and confess my _undying love for him_ , and it will be _sweet_ , goddamn it, and it will be ROMANTIC!”

“Well, that sounds like a plan,” Donna agreed.

CJ swallowed, the magnitude of her words hitting her.

“...You think it's a good idea?” she said tentatively.

There was another pause, longer this time.

“Wait, seriously?”

“No, never mind, I was kidding-”

“CJ, I think Danny would go _nuts_ ,” Donna said sincerely, her voice softening as she instinctively touched the area where her heart was. “He's like, madly in love with you,” she said softly.

“No he isn't,” CJ responded automatically, her voice carefully laced with scorn, immensely grateful that Donna could spot neither her reddening face nor her barely-constrained smile. Donna grinned, singing into the phone.

“CJ-and-Danny, sittin-in-a-tree. K-I-S-S”

“Alright, thanks for your help,” CJ interrupted.

“First-comes- _love_ , then-comes- _marriage_ -”

“THANK YOU, goodbye!” CJ laughed, snapping her phone shut. She stood still for a moment, pondering the conversation.

It was still more than a little chilly, but she remained on the balcony for several more minutes, collecting her thoughts and courage before slipping back inside.

“You awake?” she murmured, a little anxious. Silence.

“Danny?” she tried again, moving closer.

“Mmmm,” he groaned.

The corners of her lips turned up, as he slowly opened his eyes.

“...Hi,” he said hoarsely, blinking slowly. “We in for a nuclear winter?”

“I think the day's been saved,” she said solemnly, then smiled, slipping back under the covers.

“Nice work,” he commended, his voice raspy, and he kissed the side of her head as he wrapped his arm back around her.

CJ smiled, curling up close to him as she settled back into the bed.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**February 11, 2007**

CJ smiled at her reflection as she put in her right earring, pausing to admire the effect the sapphire gems had when they sparkled. They were the exact shade to complement the low-cut cobaltcolored dress she'd picked out with Kate Harper before leaving Washington. She felt happy and confident, and remarkably stress-free – her plans were coming along smoothly, they'd experienced a string of sunny days, and she was looking more bronzed than she had in a good ten years, having spent her past several afternoons reading by the pool, or hiking, or driving along the coast in her mustang, the wind in her hair as she made pleasant chitchat with Danny about some fun but mercifully inane topic. Meanwhile, Josh's calls had been getting more and more infrequent, and she'd gotten the chance to talk to Carol the day before, subtly trying to gauge her reaction should she offer her a job with the Hollis Foundation. A couple days before, CJ had received her first stack of briefing files from Mattison, the liaison to Franklin Hollis's parent company, containing research she'd requested so she could start compiling a starting plan. She'd started spending an hour or two in the morning browsing through the box of files, reserving the rest of the day for relaxing, keeping her promise to Danny to take it at least somewhat easy for awhile. ... and yet the rush of getting something accomplished without the pressure or politics of the White House left her almost giddy.

Twenty minutes later she prepared to make her dramatic entrance into the living room, carefully smoothing down any potential creases in the dress as she opened the door. She paused in the doorframe, considering him with a grin as she took in his appearance.

Danny was already waiting for her, his attention currently directed at one of the books from the mantle, but he turned when he heard the sound of the bedroom door opening.

“... _Wow_ ,” he said softly, his eyes tracing over her face. They smiled at each other, and CJstraightened her shoulders, approaching him and wrapping her arms around his neck before planting a long kiss on him.

“Hi,” she said quietly, finally pulling away.

“ _Hi_ ,” he said warmly, gently pulling her back in for a second kiss. “You look gorgeous.” He tipped his head toward the coffee table, and she followed his gaze as he bent slightly, picking up the two packages he'd left sitting there. “These are for you,” he added.

She accepted the first, which was a long, thin box, opening it carefully to find a single long-stemmed red rose, resting perfectly on a bed of velvet.

“...Oh my god,” she murmured wearily, staring down at it – she was smiling though. “Danny, you're so sweet, it's ridiculous.”

“It's a little cheesy,” he admitted sheepishly, handing her the second package; the traditional heart-shaped box was immediately recognizable. “Or a lot cheesy,” he amended, laughing lightly. “I just wanted to do it right, I know it's dumb-”

“No, it's cute,” she said gently, smiling at him as she nudged the flower with her nose.

“I try,” he replied, looking pleased at her warm reaction. She was silent, smiling coyly as she considered him. He looked her over, his eyes widening a bit as he noticed her figure. ' _Wow_ ,' he mouthed, though with a very different expression than he'd had the moment before. He blinked a few times, exhaling sharply. “W-wow,” he muttered again, swallowing.

“What?” she asked, feigning innocence. Danny's breathing had grown shallow, a look of unmistakeable longing in his eyes.

“That is...quite a dress,” he said carefully, his tongue caught between his teeth for a moment. “Is – is that new?” he managed, his cheeks reddening.

“Sort of. I bought it last month, but it's my first time wearing it.” CJ shrugged, her eyes sparkling, though Danny could hardly have noticed, given where his own eyes were.

“Well – you look - ” he stopped, struggling to find the right word, his gaze still glued to the dress – or more accurately, what it revealed.

“I try,” she said glibly, then set the gifts back on the coffee table so she could wrap her arms around him properly. She grinned as she took a step closer, her lips brushing against his. His hands traveled eagerly over her curves, but she pulled back before he could get any more carried away, laughing.

“Come on,” she murmured. He looked at her pleadingly, but she shook her head, laughing harder as she ran her fingers tantalizingly over his chest. “I thought you wanted this date to be traditional?” she reminded him, nodding at the gifts.

“So?” he asked, puzzled, his hands twitching at her waist.

“ _So..._ ” she said seductively, fingering his collar as she made her voice husky. “You have to buy me dinner first.”

* * *

CJ stabbed a crouton with her salad fork, wrapping the lettuce around and taking a bite out of it. “Would you _listen_ to me for a second? Believe me, I _want_ it to pass, I just don't think they've got much hope with this Congress.”

“So what, they should scrap it for two years, hope we get a labor-friendly House in 08?” Danny scoffed.

“Did I _say_ that?” CJ retorted, shaking her head.

Danny sighed, shooting her a weary smile. “Well...” he shrugged, tipping his head. “It's still open for debate, nothing's been struck down _yet_.”

“That's...perfectly true,” she agreed, taking a bite of her roast chicken.

He paused, looking wryly at her as he twirled his fork in his food. “What it really needs is some cheerleaders. A little TLC from the Democratic Party.”

“Sam Seaborne in a cheerleading uniform, holding a campaign sign for Norma Rae...” CJ smirked, pretending to think it over. “Well, it's a little unorthodox, but I'll suggest it...”

Danny smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

“Come on, CJ. We've finally got a live one here, and the left isn't even coming up to bat.”

“...Santos is still on his bipartisan kick,” she shrugged, offering him a grim smile. “He thinks ruffling feathers over a bill that's got about an icicle's chance in hell of passing is - bad _strategy_...And he's probably right,” she admitted.

“Nice leadership,” Danny commented, his expression dry.

“It's not like he doesn't agree with the _goals_!” CJ protested, leaning forward into the argument.

“No, he's just not willing to _fight_ for them, except in incremental progress designed to give laborers the hope that their children's children might someday get the opportunity to pull themselves out of poverty!” Danny shot back.

CJ raised her eyebrows, her expression hard to read. “That's it. No more Emma Goldman for you before bed.”

“That's all you've got to say?” he laughed.

She paused, a small smile twitching at her mouth as she considered him. “...I happen to agree with you.”

“Well, it's bound to happen now and again.”

She smiled, her eyes slightly lustrous as she let her gaze rest on his a second longer than was natural. She liked it when he got all riled up.

“And, I'll...talk to Josh,” she added lightly.

Danny smiled back at her, enjoying the sultriness she was sending his way. “Ah'kay.”

CJ lifted her drink to her lips, still watching him intently. “...You really think they can make it happen?” she continued, raising an eyebrow.

Danny shrugged, sighing.

“I think if they can rally _support_ , they can absolutely make it happen.” He leaned forward, his eyes radiating with passion. “They just have to be willing to roll their _sleeves_ up a little - _get_ our guys on the front lines, do the morning shows, _fire_ up the Whips. Provoke some engaged citizenship for once. Squelch a little of this McCarthyist fervor Americans are so hell-bent on these days, have a real public debate, a public _interest_ , in protecting the working class-”

“Well that's _your_ job, isn't it?” CJ smirked.  
Danny smiled, returning her gaze. “...I guess it is.” He lifted his own glass, gulping down a sip of wine. “Still, maybe people with my job would be better at heralding moments like this if we had more opportunities to practice. You know-” he glanced up at her. “More chances to actually get to trumpet good legislation rather than stir up dissent about the bad.”

“That's a a chicken-and-egg distinction,” she shrugged, smiling wearily.

“We need more guys like Stackhouse.”

“Stackhouse is a curmudgeonly old man,” CJ sighed, hiding her smile.

“A curmudgeonly old man who's actually sticking his neck out for serious labor reform,” Danny said wryly, shaking his head.

“Alright. A very sweet, Eugene Debsian curmudgeonly old man.”

Danny smiled, then hesitated, his gaze suddenly serious as he watched CJ return to her dinner.

“...I feel really bad, not being here on Wednesday,” he confessed. Lines of disappointment were etched across his face as he gazed wistfully at her from across the table, two candles flickering upon the surface to complement the moody décor of the restaurant.

CJ looked up, surveying him over the glass of chardonnay poised at her lips. She laughed, caught slightly off-guard. “ _What?_ ”

Danny shrugged, smiling ruefully.

“...You're serious about this,” she added, a mixture of amusement and sadness on her face.

“Well, I can't help it, I just-”

“You have absolutely nothing to feel bad about,” she assured him. She let out another laugh, looking slightly uncomfortable. “Danny, I'm not one of those women that-” she stopped, uncertain how to phrase it. He raised an eyebrow, watching her as she marshaled her thoughts.

She smiled at him, amused but slightly touched as she took another sip of her wine. “I can't even _remember_ the last time I celebrated Valentine's Day. I mean, aside from a few heart-shaped lollipops left on my desk by Carol - and although I always found it very sweet, she's not really my type.” She set the glass down.

“Well, yeah,” Danny said, in his soft voice. “You don't exactly need to tell _me_ about the effect your work had on your love life,” he added, chuckling wearily. She sighed, looking at him earnestly, but he held up a hand, warding off any defensiveness or apologies in advance. “But that's exactly my point, I wanted to make the day – you know - special,” he continued, smiling sheepishly. “Because...” he paused, struggling to phrase it. “Because - as great as you are at being this Amazonian, kickass career woman - that's not all you are,” Danny said pointedly. “And you've went way too long having to chose one or the other. I wanted to give you both this year. Show you a glimpse of what you've got to look forward to.”

CJ considered him, tipping her head slightly.

“And yeah, the old thing is stupid, and it was invented by the candy companies to sell chocolate and cards, and blahblahblah.” He waved his hand. “But it's Valentine's Day. Our _first_ Valentine's Day. Hopefully...the first of many.” He looked almost shy, continuing hastily. “This is our first real chance to do something normal and romantic and traditional. I wanted to make some memories. Do the big romantic gesture thing...” he smiled, looking sweetly at her. “You deserve it.”

There was a moment of silence, Danny feeling slightly awkward and hesitant as she gazed silently at him. “It's not too late,” he pointed out. “I can call my editor and tell her to send someone else.” His voice had a question in it.

“Danny, _no_ ,” CJ emphasized. She smiled, her eyes affectionate as they washed over him.

“Why not?” he said lightly, watching her. “They can find some junior reporter to cover for me, hell, let some kid have a chance to get their feet wet-”

She smiled sadly at him, biting her lip. “You can't. You _shouldn't_. Besides, you've been following the development of this bill for a year, you can't tell me you don't want to go see Stackhouse in action-”

“Well, sure,” he said fairly, still hesitant.

“If it was anything else, _maybe,_ but - this should always have been your story.” CJ smiled, trying to look encouraging. “Just – think about the opportunity this gives you. You have the option to create one last big story for the Post. It's your Swan Song. I don't want to mess that up for you,” CJ said earnestly.

Danny smiled, as touched as ever when she hinted at her affection for his work. “Well, first of all, you wouldn't, it'd be _my_ decision,” he caught her eye. “But yeah, you're right, I mean - I've thought about that.” He rubbed his beard, looking conflicted, finally shooting her a weary smile.

“If anything...You gotta admit, though. It's pretty funny.”

“What is?”

“Well-” he paused, grinning nervously, unsure how far to push her. “How ironic is it that our big Day of Love is being ruined by _my_ work commitments?”

“Not _so_ ironic, given your rather celebrated and prolific career,” CJ pointed out dryly, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Although if you refer to it as our 'Day of Love' in public that might very well take a nosedive, I'm not gonna lie to you.”

Danny smiled, blushing slightly as he glanced up at her over his plate. CJ considered him, looking thoughtful. “That brings up a really good point though, my beloved Fishboy.”

“What's that?”

“What about you?” she pressed, a slight crease appearing in her brow.

“What about me?”

CJ studied him, a small smile toying on her lips. “You want to talk about _me_ , 'having it all',” she pointed out, raising her eyebrows. “You think I expect you to just settle down, become some Mr. Mom just because we're starting a future together?”

Danny paused, the shadow of a grin on his face, not sure how at all to answer that.

“Look at it the other way around,” she added, shrugging coyly. “This is us, proving to ourselves that we can compromise. That we can still have our romantic nights out and make it work, even if life tries to get in the way...you think I'm _disappointed_ about all this?” she chuckled, gesturing at the restaurant.

“So what if we're doing it a few days early?” she laughed, meeting his eyes. “We're still doing exactly what you wanted, making – you know - a memory, together.” She paused, her hand slipping into his on the table. “And like you said, we're going to have a lot more of these.” It was her turn to blush, and Danny was reminded of the awkward unsure-of-herself woman he'd first fallen for all those years ago. He grinned, his eyes shining.

CJ looked around the restaurant, her face still a little pink. “And this place is lovely, Danny,” she added, her expression earnest. “Really. And the flowers, and candy – you _absolutely_ filled your Valentine's Day Boyfriend Quota, as far as I'm concerned.” She took a bite of her food, her casual demeanor betrayed by the small smile on her face. It took him a second to recover, his eyes traveling over her.

“Ah, well...you're really gonna be blown away by this then,” Danny replied, a little smugly, a moment later, as he placed a small, flat square box on the table.

“You got me a _present_?” CJ exclaimed, grinning as her eyes drifted over the gift box.

“Couldn't help myself,” Danny said easily.

CJ smiled shyly, considering him as she set her fork down. “...I got you something too,” she admitted, sighing slightly.

“You got me a present?” Danny raised his eyebrows, not bothering to suppress his grin.

“Of course I got you a present. It's Valentine's Day, that's what couples do, isn't it?”

He gazed at her, not bothering to articulate a response beyond his radiant smile.

“And I'll have you know, it is both cheesy _and_ romantic,” she added, an edge of defensiveness discernible in her voice despite the slightly anxious smile she was sporting.

“Oh'kay,” he chuckled, accepting the thin, rectangular package she'd slipped out of her purse.

He thought he noticed her taking a quick breath, her nervous smile sitting restlessly on her cheeks. “Although I admit I may have gotten some help coming up with it,” she admitted.

“That's okay.” Danny blinked, smiling briefly at her before looking back down at it, tracing the edge with his finger. He took a long breath, his eyes returning to hers.

“...So...” she smirked, her voice low and playful. “You gonna _open_ it, or just sit there gaping at me like a woman?”

Danny smiled sheepishly, pulling carefully on the simple, elegant silver wrapping paper as CJ watched, biting her lip.

Inside was a hinged double photo frame, glossy and black, the kind designed to sit on a desk or a mantle. Danny's breath caught as he examined it; on the left was a photo of them lying sprawled under a tree at the park, part of Danny's arm visible as he extended it, holding the camera to face them as they sent matching grins into the lens. On the right was a picture from the week before, when they'd visited his parents' house. Neither had realized at the time that Cassie had turned the camera on them; Danny's arms were wrapped snugly around CJ from behind, his face pressed beside hers as they smiled contently, watching his mother unwrap birthday presents out of frame. Hidden away in the bottom corner, he could just spot the top of Sarah's head, her miniature fist clutching CJ's blouse possessively.

“This is _great_ ,” he said breathlessly.

“Yeah?” CJ smiled anxiously, still biting her lip as she watched him. He looked up at her, struggling to find the right words.

“...Thank you.”

She smiled for a moment, their eyes meeting, then she leaned forward eagerly.

“Alright Casanova, where's mine?”

He laughed, pushing the box towards her.

“Well, it's not fish food...” she joked pensively, pretending to inspect the package.

He fumbled his hands in his lap, his leg twitching involuntarily under the table. “Open it.”

CJ picked it up tenderly, looking at the wrapping. “It's nothing big,” Danny said, unable to keep the nervousness out of his voice. “I was just...browsing, and I saw it, and I thought of you...” he paused, hearing her gasp.

“ _Ohhhh-_ ” CJ breathed softly, gazing down into the box. “Ohhh, my god,” she murmured, her fingers tracing the edge of the case. She sighed, her eyes glistening.

“Do you like it?” Danny cringed as he heard his voice crack, and he swallowed, pressing on. “If you don't, that's okay – you can take me out and help me pick out something else, teach me to shop better for next time-” he smiled ruefully.

“Would you shut up? I love it.”

His heart skipped a beat, and a slow smile spread across his face. “Yeah?”

CJ stared up at him, her mouth still slightly open. “Danny, it's _beautiful_.” She paused, smiling demurely, then swallowed, trying to catch her breath. “You want to help me put it on?”

Danny blushed, smiling as he stood and walked over to her, helping her clasp the glittering bracelet over her narrow wrist. “I wanted to get ya something more personal. The day just kinda snuck up on us.”

“No, I – I _love_ it,” CJ said honestly. “Thank you.” She gave him a quick kiss before he returned to his side of the table. He smiled, embarrassed, as she lifted her hand an inch, her eyes following the bracelet's sparkle as she moved her wrist. She looked back up at him, extending her other arm to grasp his hand across the table.

“...You're _so_ sweet,” CJ repeated, her voice soft.

“It's pretty corny,” Danny admitted, laughing.

CJ continued to smile, thinking of her own upcoming plans as she studied him. “Corny can be good.”

 


	3. Chapter 3

“ _Shit!_ ” CJ swore, her hand slipping in the pot holder as she whisked across Sam's kitchen three days later. The new condo was as familiar as possible to her now, but she'd never felt particularly at home in this room – her cooking skills were minimal at best. She was behind schedule, and she still needed to fix her hair, which had grown damp and frizzy in the heat of the bustling kitchen.

Setting the pot down, she looked at her watch and swore again, choosing a more R-rated epithet this time around.

This was an _incredibly_ stupid idea.

Yet fifteen minutes later it was done – her pathetically feeble, but hopefully endearing, attempt at domesticity. So it wasn't exactly gourmet – frozen lasagna and garlic rolls – but it was nothing to be embarrassed about either, she reminded herself. And anyway, hopefully her dress would make up for any disappointments with the menu, even if her carefully-crafted curls had gone limp and dank in the time it'd taken to cook the meal.

She studied herself critically, running some product through her hair in an attempt to fix the mess that had sprung up across her head. Much, much better. Her eyes drifted over her reflection, unable to find anything in dire need of mending.

She'd bought the gown back in Washington, on that final shopping trip she'd taken with Kate Harper. It wasn't as outwardly provocative as the sheer cobalt one she'd donned earlier in the week, but she thought it was fairly stunning in its own right. It was a slate gray color, with blue undertones, precisely the shade of her eyes. The material was soft and floaty; it rested gently on her curves, not too tight, but without neglecting to give justice to her shape, either. There was something simple about it, elegant but homey, and it looked lovely offset by her Valentine's Day bracelet. Her hair was down tonight, framing her face in loose waves across her shoulders. She would have looked exquisite, were it not for her anxious expression.

She took a deep breath, spraying on a last dab of perfume before exiting the bathroom, making her way back through to the living room.

CJ looked around one last time, her nerves making her body tingle. The table was set. Two candles she'd managed to dig out of a box marked “Miscellaneous” sat in the middle; more were lining the mantle, and another few decorated the bar that connected the dining room to the kitchen. She double-checked to make sure she'd remembered to plug in the CD player, and checked that the bread she was keeping warm in the oven wasn't actually burning.

CJ wiped her hands on her dress, feeling beads of sweat reforming even as she pulled them away. The sound of a key in the lock broke her out of her reverie.

Danny stepped into their apartment, his hair windswept by the February air. “Heyyy, I'm home,” he called casually, pausing in the vestibule as he tugged his suitcase over the threshold. “...CJ?” he added, slightly confused at the smells emanating from the kitchen.

He stepped through into the living room, his eyes still adjusting to the dim apartment, and his brow furrowed as he took in the many flickering candles, finally resting on the dining room table. She'd laid down a tablecloth, the scent of clove wafting toward him. He stared, gazing around, as a wide grin broke out across his face.

“Surprise,” CJ said softly, stepping into the candlelight.

He turned to stare at her, his mouth opening slightly as he took in her appearance.

“W...” He swallowed, blinking as he shook his head a little.

“ _Wow,_ ” he murmured.

She smiled, shrugging her shoulders modestly.

Danny gaped at her, his breath escaping him. “Wh-?” He grinned, though still seemed to be incapable of forming complete sentences.

“It was my turn to do a big romantic gesture,” she explained softly.

He stared, swallowing as his smile broadened, his voice finally returning.

“You know.” He laughed, shaking his head. “I _distinctly_ remember you saying you wanted to get mounds and mounds of Chinese food and spend the evening watching reruns of _Cheers_ and having 'lots and lots of sex.'”

“I lied,” she said matter-of-factly, nodding. “Well, not about the sex,” she amended, giving him a little half-smile.

He grinned at her, still taking in the apartment. “Should I take that to also mean your brand new car has not started making mysterious rattling noises?”

“I felt bad about not being able to pick you up,” she admitted. “But nuked up garlic rolls just didn't quite seem to cut it.”

“Not quite the vibe you were going for?” he laughed, pulling her towards him.

“Something like that,” she agreed, settling into his arms. She smiled back at him as he touched his lips to hers. “...Happy Valentine's Day,” she murmured.

Danny grinned. “Happy Valentine's Day.” His eyes travelled over her. “God, you look - incredible...” He paused. “ _This_ is incredible,” he added, glancing around the apartment again.

“You're not so bad yourself,” she purred, slipping off his jacket as she stroked his chest. “...Missed you,” she added quietly, blushing slightly as she met his eyes again.

“I missed you too,” Danny said in a daze, pulling her in for a longer kiss.

She laughed, almost giddy as she pulled away, touching his lips with two fingers.

“You hungry?” she asked hopefully, stepping back and turning so she could hang his jacket on the coatrack.

Danny was grinning broadly. “Is this gonna be edible?”

She leaned forward to plant another kiss on him. “I dunno. Can't be any worse than anything they were offering on the plane.”

“Fair point,” he responded happily, taking her hand and pulling her toward the table.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Danny's innocent voice broke through the companionable silence, making CJ look up.

“Any chance you put The Jackal on this CD?”

She caught the mischievous glint in his eye. “Don't press your luck, mister.”

“Ah'kay,” he smiled, his eyes twinkling. “...Seriously, CJ. This is amazing.” His voice cracked a bit in that cute way it had.

They were sitting across from each other at the table, having already made their way through three-fourths of the food. Danny had very sweetly complimented her cooking, which, while admittedly had turned out perfectly fine, nevertheless would have been pretty hard to mess up in the first place.

“...You did a fantastic job,” he added, his voice sincere. “Everything about this is – above and beyond.”

“That's really sweet of you,” she said, smiling up at him over her plate. She looked a little hesitant, all of a sudden, and Danny glanced up, hearing the note of uncertainty in her voice. “I actually wanted to talk to you about something,” CJ said carefully. “Something kind of important.” She glanced up, meeting his eyes for a half-second, before going back to picking nervously at her food. “I've been thinking a lot while you've been gone.”

“Oh yeah? What's up?” Danny asked promptly, setting his fork down.

CJ's face was flushed. Danny looked at her expectantly, reaching across instinctively to take her hand.

CJ took a deep breath, finally raising her eyes to meet his. “Well,” she repeated matter-of-factly, trying to keep her confidence even as a nervous smile tugged at her lips. “We've been dating for awhile now.” She paused, her voice catching.

“Lucky me,” he said encouragingly, squinting slightly as he gave her a cheerful grin.

“Right,” CJ smiled, sighing slightly. “...We've been dating for awhile now,” she repeated. “Known each other a lot longer than that...” She paused again, considering her words. “And these past few months have been...” CJ bit her lip, closing her eyes for a moment. “Wonderful, actually.” She looked back at him, her voice low but sincere. “For the first in time in my life, I feel really, really happy with someone. Secure.”

Danny gazed at her, holding his breath. His hand twitched involuntarily in hers.

“And I know it's been kind of a mess, for big chunks of it. I didn't get to spend as much time with you during the Administration as we both would have liked. So maybe this is a bit fast – and if that's the case, that's fine – I get it.”

“CJ...” He stared at her, lost for words in his rapture.

“Yeah,” she said, looking up at him briefly, before momentarily closing her eyes again. “I just mean, it's really confusing – we've been close for so long, but this relationship thing is still kinda new, but - in a way it's not.”

“Right,” he said slowly, squinting again as the corners of his lips turned up.

“And I'm feeling in the spirit of brave gestures. Not that – not that I'm not _eager_ or anything.” She gazed at him shrewdly. “Because I am. That's kind of the point,” CJ inhaled anxiously. “Maybe 'grand gestures' would have been a better word. I was just – going off your theme. 'Heroic postures.'”

“I got it,” Danny said gently, leaning forward.

“So – I was thinking,” CJ looked at him, her puppy dog eyes peeping steadily from under her movie-star lashes.

“...You know how we talked about, coming out here, staying together for awhile while we settled in and found permanent places?”

“Mmhmm.” Danny tipped his head slightly, studying her.

“That is, permanent places of our own?” she clarified.

“Sure,” he agreed.

“What if we didn't do that?”

“Wh-what do you mean?” he asked, bemused.

CJ took a deep breath.

“What if...we just, did it together?”

“Really?” Danny's eyebrows shot up, the eagerness in his voice unmistakeable.

She flushed. “We've been spending so much time together...” A smile grew tentatively across her face, color flooding into her cheeks. “Since we started seeing each other, I've been really happy,” she admitted softly. “Happier than I've been in a long time. And we're jumping off this cliff together, moving across the country,” CJ continued, her voice quiet but excited. “I mean, I'm actually pretty happy here for the time-being, but, I just mean, down the road, if we were to decide to move closer to the city, or look for a bigger place, or _whatever_ \- maybe it would make sense for us to think about getting a place together at some point. Instead of our own separate places, I mean.”

“Would that make sense?” Danny asked innocently, enjoying this now.

“Well – maybe it wouldn't. I don't know. But it's what I want. To talk about, at least,” CJ said, her own excitement breaking through the weariness in her face.

“You want to live with me?” Danny confirmed breathlessly, a grin lighting up his face.

“That's what I'm getting at.”

“You want us to live together,” he repeated quietly, closing his eyes.

CJ swallowed, her shoulders shaking slightly. “Listen, if you don't want to-”

“I think we can work something out,” Danny said softly. He stood up, walking around the table to her and crouching down to kiss her. It was a long time before he finally truly pulled away.

* * *

Another twenty minutes had passed. The dishes had been rinsed and loaded into the dishwasher, the candles still smoking moments after they had been blown out. They'd dimmed the lights over the living room, moving to the couch, where Danny had draped an arm around her, his face in her hair, occasionally whispering declarations of affection in her ear.

“We should go to Ikea or something tomorrow. Get some stuff of our own, make it official.” He smiled, squeezing her hand.

“ _Sure.”_

“ _They got the bill passed.”_

“ _I heard,” she chuckled, her head still in his neck._

“ _I sent Stackhouse a first edition of a Eugene Debs book, grabbed a beer with Josh. I had a good time.”_

“ _I'm glad,” she murmured sleepily._

“ _...It kind of sucked waking up without you,” he muttered, smiling into her neck._

“Yeah, that was sort of my thought process too,” she agreed.

Danny grinned, pulling her closer. “You want to head to the bedroom?”

“Pretty forward, aren't you?”

He smiled. “You seem like you're fading.”

“I'm okay,” she assured him, nuzzling against him.

“Oh'kay,” he said softly, running a hand down her back.

“...You want to listen to something?” CJ murmured, looking strangely shy as she tipped her head toward the CD player, which she'd turned off as they'd started to clear the table.

“Sure,” Danny said warmly, nibbling at her collarbone.

She fumbled for the sound system remote, reluctant to pull away from him, then smiled as he planted a kiss to her ear, the first few notes filtering out.

“You smell nice,” she mumbled, and Danny grinned as he traced her jawline with his lips.

“You taste nice,” he replied.

“I have garlic breath,” she laughed.

“Me too,” he shrugged, smiling.

His lips met hers a second later, long and sweet, CJ's sigh making his heart purr.

He leaned her back along the couch, hovering over her as he devoured her mouth.

The song changed, and still he kissed her, his hands roaming through her hair. And then, too abrupt for Danny to even begin processing what was going on, CJ had slipped out suddenly from under him, staring around for the remote.

“What's gotten into you?” he laughed, sitting up on the couch as she hastily paused the CD.

She turned to look at him, crouching on her knees on the floor, her expression difficult to read.

“...Dance with me.”

He blinked, surprised but pleased, and his face softened. “Sure,” he murmured. He watched as she stood, stumbling away from the couch.

She could have used the remote again, but she felt a powerful need to burn through some of her nervous energy, and thus found herself strolling slowly over to the CD player, her thin fingers shaking slightly as she flipped back to the beginning of the song and pressed play.

CJ turned, stepping up to him as the first few notes filtered out. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears, but her steps were long and steady. She managed a small smile as he stood to meet her, wrapping his arms around her waist, then rested her head on his shoulder, breathing deeply as she lost herself in his scent.

  
  


_It's amazing how you_

_can speak right to my heart..._

_Without saying a word,_

_you can light up the dark..._

  
  


He smiled, feeling her warm body pressed against him.

“I wasn't sure if this was ever going to happen,” Danny whispered hoarsely.

“You're telling me,” CJ murmured.

His hand found hers, squeezing it gently. She buried her face in his hair. She wanted to feel those soft curls every day for the rest of her life.

  
  


_The smile on your face,_

_lets me know that you need me.._

_There's a truth in your eyes,_

_sayin' you'll never leave me...._

  
  


The tempo picked up, and he spun her around, making her laugh as they clumsily dodged bumping into the coffee table.

  
  


_The touch of your hand says you'll catch me,_

_if I ever fall..._

_You say it best,_

_when you say nothing at all._

  
  


They grinned at each other, slightly out of breath, as the room settled into a brief silence. CJ smiled, her eyes sparkling, as she adjusted his collar.

A moment later the song turned over, and CJ's giddy expression shifted, her features softening as the opening notes of the next song drifted toward them.

He was pulling her closer, initiating the next slow dance, and she tightened her arms around his neck as she raised her eyes to meet his.

She tightened her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her as she met his eyes. Danny exhaled, their noses brushing together.

  
  


_Thank you, for... this moment..._

_I have to say how beautiful you are_

_Of all the hopes and dreams,_

_I could have prayed for..._

_here you are_

  
  


It was a pretty song, one he didn't think he'd heard before. The words turned themselves over in his mind, gradually becoming dimmer and dimmer as he gazed into her sultry stare. Her lips were barely a centimeter away; he could feel the heat of her breath when she exhaled. The last of his thoughts were wiped away as CJ brought her lips to his.

He sighed, her eyes fluttering closed, those graceful hands weaving gently through his curls.

CJ's mind was racing, her thoughts dancing across the span of the past 8 years. It felt so soft and natural to be doing this.

She opened her eyes a moment later, slowly pulling away as she met his gaze. Danny was looking back at her, completely enraptured.

  
  


_If I could have one dance forever..._

_I would take you by the hand..._

_Tonight it's you and I, together._

_I'm so glad...I'm your man._

  
  


“You are so beautiful,” Danny murmured, one arm still wrapped supportively around her waist, the other grasping her hand. He sighed, finding her eyes again as he beamed at her.

CJ stared back at him, silent, her body reeling as she allowed herself to be swayed back and forth, mesmerized by his gaze.

  
  


_And if I lived a thousand years, you know,_

_I never could explain..._

_the way I lost my heart to you,_

_that day..._

  
  


CJ swallowed, her breath escaping her. His eyes had never looked so blue. He looked utterly at peace, his hand gently releasing hers so he could wrap his arms more securely around her waist.

She considered for a moment resting her head on his shoulder again – her stomach was doing backflips – and she was just about to move closer when she decided she wanted to be looking at him for this.

  
  


  
  


_I don't hear the music_

_when I'm looking in your eyes_

_But I feel the rhythm of your body..._

_close to mine._

  
  


“...Danny,” CJ said softly, meeting his gaze. She took a deep breath, watching him.

“You don't have to say anything,” he said gently. He smiled sweetly, his eyes dewy. “This is great,” he assured her. “...This is _perfect_ ,” he murmured.

He leaned in, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that made her forget where she was. And for a moment she was back in her office seven years ago, being kissed by him for the very first time, her senses sent on overdrive with the taste and feel and smell of him, and she was left with the same dizzy and floating feeling she'd had then, as Danny finally pulled gently away.

CJ reeled, her eyes still closed as he studied her, smiling slightly, before she leaned in a second later, resuming the kiss - slow and soft at first, then more firmly, feeling the fireworks go off in her stomach. Danny spun her slowly as the music continued, his lips leaving hers for moments at a time so they could breathe. After a long minute CJ finally broke it off, feeling the heat of Danny's breath on her face as he looked at her, a small smile resting contently on his face as the notes soared around them.

  
  


_And if I lived a thousand years_

_You know, I never could explain_

_The way I lost my heart to you that day_

  
  


_But if destiny decided..._

_I should look the other way...._

_Then the world would never know,_

_the greatest story ever told..._

_and I did I tell you, that I..._

  
  


CJ blinked slowly, watching him, and the words came out faster and easier than she'd expected.

“I'm in love with you.”

Their eyes locked, and Danny froze, his eyes searching hers.

“I...think I got - distracted there. What did you say?” he breathed.

CJ looked steadily into his eyes.

“You heard me.” She kissed him again, pulling away after a few seconds. Danny leaned forward eagerly, trying to rekindle it, his eyes still wide with shock, but she put her hands on his shoulders, keeping focused on his face. “I am...so, deeply, _ridiculously_ in love with you,” she murmured. She sighed, meeting his gaze.

Danny exhaled, choking on his breath, and he couldn't remember how to speak.

“I love you,” she said simply, her eyes probing his. “You make me crazy, and you make me happy, and I'm really, really glad I jumped off that cliff with you,” she said quietly, shaking her head as she looked ruefully into his eyes.

Danny grinned, slowly, his face becoming radiant. He started to blink rapidly; his eyes were wet. “Say it again,” he whispered, his voice wistful.

She beamed back at him, lifting her hands to rest on the sides of his face. “...I love you.”

He stared at her for a second, then CJ leaned forward, kissing him tentatively, and it was a long time before either one of them came up for air.

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PWP I'm sorry I s2g

A few minutes later CJ still stood rooted in the condo's living room, Danny's arms wrapped around her as they kissed. Danny seemed happy to stand there and kiss her forever, but she had other ideas.

“'Scuse me,” CJ said softly, breaking away and meeting his gaze.

“Shh. C'mere,” Danny breathed, leaning in and starting to kiss her again, his arms tracing up her bare back. CJ sighed, responding for a second, then laughed and broke away, looking at him dolefully.

“Ex _cuse_ me.”

“Say it again,” he murmured eagerly, his eyes meeting hers.

She stared at him, smiling uncertainly.

“ _No_ ,” she laughed. Danny's face fell slightly. She hesitated.

“...Isn't –” she took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. She paused.

Danny looked at her obediently, waiting for her to continue. CJ gave him her bedroom eyes, biting her lip anxiously.

“-Danny?” she asked tentatively.

“ _Yeah_ ,” he breathed, staring into her eyes.

She swallowed, staring back at him as she struggled for words. “...Is there anything you want to say to me?” she asked quietly, her face coloring.

Danny looked confused for a moment, still gazing at her in rapture – then his brain turned back on, and he laughed, loudly and openly. She tried to smile, looking nervous, but Danny simply beamed at her, his damp eyes gleaming as he held her face between his hands.

“Come here,” he said softly, and he wrapped his arms around her again, still chuckling in his exhilaration.

“... _CJ,_ ” he said gently.

“Yes,” she said, giving him the eyes again.

Danny pulled her closer, his other hand slipping back up to cup her face. “...Claudia Jean Cregg,” he murmured hoarsely.

“That's me,” she said weakly.

He leaned so their foreheads were touching, staring at her through wet eyes.

“I am in love with you,” he muttered.

CJ sighed softly, her eyes closing.

“I am so _deeply_ in love with you,” he repeated hoarsely. “ _Utterly_ , and completely...And if you don't know that, you're an idiot,” he laughed, his voice raspy.

“You never _said_ it,” CJ murmured, finding his eyes again.

“I didn't know you wanted me to,” Danny whispered earnestly.

They smiled at each other, perfectly content.

“...So-” she said softly, after a few moments of silence. She looked radiant, her happiness an almost palpable force in the air between them.

“I love you,” Danny said gently. She blushed, her small smile lighting up the room. “I love what you've _done_ for me tonight,” he added quietly, beaming at her as he laced his fingers through hers.

“I love you,” she said quietly. He smiled back at her, his eyes shiny.

“I love you too,” he murmured, his voice barely more than a breath.

“Okay. Glad we got that worked out,” she whispered.

He laughed, his whole body shaking as he brought his lips to hers. CJ gasped quietly, sinking into him. His kisses came warm and fast, and it took all her strength not to just pull him down to the floor.

“I really am in love with you,” she said weakly.

Danny sighed, grinning broadly as he shook his head, muttering, “...We're gonna be _so_ good at this.” He brought his mouth back to hers, kissing her slowly and sweetly.

She stared at him, her eyes heavy with lust.

“Hey Danny?” CJ whispered.

“Yeah?” he breathed slowly.

She lowered her eyes seductively, letting her lips brush against his as she wove her fingers into the gaps in his button-down dress shirt. “I was just wondering,” she said huskily.

“What?” he asked raspily, grinning back at her. She met his gaze coyly, her eyes locked on him.

“...Are you going to make love to me soon?”

He stared at her, his pulse racing. CJ started unbuttoning his collar, her eyes on his. “'Cuz, I made you dinner and everything, and I think, traditionally-”

His lips cut her off, his arms wrapping around her. Without a word, Danny swept her off her feet and carried her into the bedroom, CJ's loud laugh echoing through the apartment.

* * *

The dress came off first – usually he liked to just lift it up at this point; there was something so intensely erotic about getting her to come with only his hands or his mouth. He liked being able to concentrate on watching her, taking in the sensations of witnessing her writhe and moan as he made love to her. Only after her first exquisite release would he carefully, eagerly ease the dress the rest of the way off, restarting foreplay from the beginning as he pressed his lips to hers, finally making her come again as they rolled around, caught up in each other.

Tonight, however, he had no patience, and it was raw passion that guided his actions. He pulled the dress over her head the moment he'd set her on the bed, then gently guided her down, kissing her, his hands roaming to tug off her panties. CJ struggled to take off his shirt, first fumbling with the buttons of his work shirt and then feverishly pulling off the white undershirt. He put his hands over hers as she unzipped his pants, rubbing his thumbs against her hands and feeling her warmth as she finished undressing him. They rolled, Danny kissing her as she leaned down over him, feeling her breasts and the tickle of her hair as it fell across his chest.

“I love you,” Danny whispered. CJ moaned, her eyes closed as she settled over him, her body brushing against him, teasing him with her wetness. He exhaled, trying to catch his breath as she stroked herself against him.

“...Wait,” he whispered sweetly. She opened her eyes, smiling as she slid forward a few inches, hovering over his stomach as she looked at him curiously.

He sighed happily, running his hands over her hair and gazing up at her in awe. “I love you, CJ.”

She grinned at him, her gray-green eyes sparkling. He dipped his head into her neck, kissing her gently, bringing his hands down to feel her back, then over her butt and down the back of her legs and back up again.

“You are so incredibly sexy,” he whispered, his voice longing. He heard her giggle, and he beamed at her.

“I love you,” he repeated hoarsely. It kept spilling out of him, pent up for so many years as he watched her, a dull ache in his heart he'd had to push back, again and again and again. He kissed the side of her face, breathing quietly into her ear. “I'm so in love with you,” he murmured. “Do you have any idea?”

“I love you too, Danny,” he heard, and he let out a little gasp of air, separating his lips from her neck. He was beside himself.

She was so beautiful. She was making an effort, a huge one. She'd asked him to move out here with her. She'd went to Michigan for him. She was showing him that they had a future.

_She'd told him that she loved him._

His mind was a blur as he rolled her over again, letting his lips travel down her neck to her breasts to her hips. His body had reverted to pure instinct, his kisses trailing across her skin. Her legs opened automatically, and he pressed his lips to her, separating the skin with his tongue. She tasted amazing. He wanted to take his time with it, relish her, but his mind was racing and his lips seemed to be moving of their own accord. He nipped and sucked gently at her lower lips, tickling her clit with his tongue, then sliding it inside of her, using his upper lip to brush against her sweet spot. CJ was letting out gasps that were throwing off his concentration, and he pulled his tongue out and started gently kissing the area between her legs, giving his head time to clear. All he could hear was her voice, saying those words over and over again.

“Come here,” CJ breathed softly, and they locked eyes. “Please,” she murmured.

He slid his body up so they were facing, and she smiled, her body gleaming with sweat as she maneuvered herself, inviting him to move things forward.

She was so warm and soft, and his eyes were lost in hers as he slid inside her.

The heat washed over him, and he closed his eyes for a moment, rocking into her. A gasp escaped her throat, and he opened his eyes, running a hand through her hair.

“Love you.”

“I love you,” she replied, grinning breathlessly at him.

He managed to push back the first wave, relieved as he fell into an easy rhythm. The pure passion was getting back under control, settling delicately into something else, their foreheads touching as he moved smoothly through her.

It was slow and sweet, and he put his fingers in between them to help CJ along as he thrust steadily, her eyes never leaving his.

She ran her hands through his curls, then over his back, pausing in her kisses only long enough to moan as he risked a particularly deep push. He picked up the pace, still gazing down at her, trying to shift his weight so he was brushing against her in just the right spot. Her breathing increased, and they grinned at each other, dazed, Danny kissing her forehead as she finally made the exquisite little gasp that always told him she was on her way. He watched her struggle, tensing beneath him as the feeling grew, her fingernails digging into his shoulders as she shook. He swallowed, dimly aware of her gasping for breath as she rode the wave. _Jesus Christ_.

She bit her lip in ecstasy, moaning, and he felt his own release a moment later, collapsing on top of her, keeping his arms bent to support himself so she wouldn't feel the brunt of his weight.

“ _Ohhhhh_ ,” he sighed, trying and failing to catch his breath. She grinned at him, still trembling.

“Hi, Beautiful,” he murmured, his eyes twinkling.

“...Hi,” she managed, shaking and smiling.

“How you feeling?” he whispered.

“That was quite a cliff,” she murmured back, and Danny laughed, pressing his lips to her sweaty forehead.

“...I love you,” he said a moment later, looking at at her wistfully. She smiled, her fingers back in his curls.

“I love you too.”

They grew quiet, both still struggling for breath, and he rolled gently off her, reaching across to grasp her fingers in his. He stared at her, his heart racing as he squeezed her hand.

“I love you, Danny,” CJ repeated, and he felt like his heart might implode. He gazed silently back at her, kissing her nose as he fought to settle his breathing,

He wanted everything from her. There was still so much their future had to offer, and as Danny fell asleep with CJ in his arms, he felt freer than he had in years.

 

 


End file.
